Stomp School: "Boutique or Not?" That is the Question

The MXR Custom Shop '76 Vintage Dyna
Comp is an
example of
the handwired
reissue
MXR pedals
Dunlop is
building in
its Custom
Shop.

Last month we raised the question,
“What is boutique?”
Exploring this topic, we discovered
that as the stompbox market
has changed and grown, the term’s
meaning has become vague and
imprecise. We also found it’s not
as easy as it once was to outline a
set of standards that would qualify
a particular product as boutique.
Now, let’s see if we can reevaluate
the meaning of boutique, both
as a concept and a definition, to
better understand its relevance in
today’s market.

The points most often
discussed when comparing
boutique versus mass-produced
products are, first, the method
of production and, second, the
type and quality of components.
Let’s look at the method
of production first.

Most people assume that
mass production involves the
use of automated machinery for
the purpose of rapidly assembling
products in high volume.
Cheap labor may also be
employed, and it is usually performed
by unskilled individuals
with little understanding of the
end product. And of course,
the majority of mass-produced
products these days happens
in China. This view, while not
inaccurate, is a somewhat oversimplified
generalization.

A similarly simplified view,
however, is the idealized notion
of the lone boutique builder,
performing daring feats of electronic
wizardry while working
feverishly on his next groundbreaking
sonic innovation. He’s
had a soldering iron in his hand
since he was 7, and his point-to-point turret-board work is an
architectural wonder to behold.
He uses nothing but new-old-stock
parts in all his builds—
the best of the best of the best.
Finally, he makes his own
enclosures by bending a sheet of
metal with his bare hands, and
then paints it himself to create
a one-of-a-kind artistic masterpiece.
This is an exaggerated
depiction, no doubt. The truth
is usually far less glamorous,
and in some cases isn’t much
removed from what most mega-corporations
are doing, the only
difference being in scale.

At this point, an explanation
of the most common mass-production
techniques currently
used in electronics may be in
order. Traditional methods of
automated assembly involve
the use of “pick-and-place”
machines, automatic insertion,
and wave soldering. These
techniques have been commonplace
since the 1970s. Yet,
while an entire printed circuit
board could be populated and
soldered through automation,
quite a bit of off-board wiring
(of pots, jacks, and switches)
was also needed, and this work
required an individual skilled in
electronics assembly. We should
note here that more than a
few of these anonymous solder
jockeys undoubtedly rack up far
more experience than many of
our beloved boutique heroes.

Some of the larger manufacturers
eventually developed designs
that would allow virtually all the
hardware to be soldered directly
to the circuit board, thus eliminating
the need for any skilled
labor whatsoever. Many products
by Dunlop and Danelectro, for
example, have all the electronic
and mechanical components
soldered directly to the PCB. So
final assembly would then require
little more than popping the
fully functioning pedal guts into
an empty enclosure. And these
companies are not alone—dozens
more outfits are doing nearly
the same thing. In fact, most big
companies that manufacture
consumer electronics these days
use a similar approach.

Even without the use of
automation, the ease and efficiency
of eliminating off-board
wiring has understandable
appeal. This may be why a
growing number of larger boutique
companies have started
using PCB-mounted hardware.
However, some purists frown
on the idea of allowing any
hardware to have direct contact
with the PCB. They reason that
any user-accessible parts on the
outside of the pedal would naturally
be subject to the rigors of
use and abuse, which could easily
cause the board to crack or
otherwise be damaged. Critics
say the PCB-mounted approach
is the hallmark of cheap, disposable
electronics. This sentiment
has been strong enough
to spawn a cottage industry of
“re-housing” cheap pedals in
more durable enclosures with
upgraded hardware.

Now let’s talk about parts.
Aside from new-old-stock (NOS)
parts, nearly all currently available
electronic components (resistors,
capacitors, transistors, ICs, etc.)
are manufactured in China or, to
a lesser extent, Taiwan and Japan.
So it’s generally accepted that
most pedal manufacturers, boutique
or otherwise, will be using
at least some components produced
in Asia. Electronic hardware
such as pots, jacks, switches,
knobs—and even die-cast enclosures—
now come mainly from
the East as well. Today’s global
market makes most alternatives
impractical or prohibitively
expensive, and except in the case
of certain specialized products
(vintage fuzz replicas, for example),
it’s generally not of great
concern to consumers.

While the origin of components
is usually not in question,
the quality of components often
is. The best example of this comes
into play with effect modification.
The whole philosophy is based on
the concept of taking a relatively
inexpensive, mass-produced pedal
and upgrading certain key components.
The days of stompbox
mods may be limited, however.
Over the last decade, there has
been a dramatic development
in technology that will forever
change the way all our gear is
made. Surface Mount Technology
(SMT) has profoundly altered
not only the manufacturing
process, but also electronic components
themselves.

A full discussion of SMT
is outside the scope of this
column. The point here is
that SMT practically demands
automation. Surface Mount
Devices (SMDs) do not lend
themselves easily to being
soldered by hand. And the
equipment used for SMT is out
of reach for all but the largest
manufacturers, which means
the work must be outsourced.
Though many feel this is the
antithesis of boutique, several
ostensibly boutique brands have
already jumped on the SMT
bandwagon. At the same time,
a few of the mega-makers have
been waving the boutique flag.
Danelectro pedals are touting
true bypass, and Dunlop now
has its Custom Shop making
handwired reissue MXR pedals.

Yes, it’s all a bit confusing,
and still leaves us wondering
what is exactly “boutique.”
Perhaps boutique is in the eyes
(and ears) of the beholder.